Electric Loco's And Live Steam Running Together.

[newboydave]

Hi Folks!

Currently, I only run electric powered loco's,(Aristocraft Unitah Mallet & C-16 Consolidation) but I am considering venturing into live steam.

From the little I know, I expect the Live Steamers to deposit various 'gunk' on the tracks, but is it going to be a full time job for me + rags following behind every steamers run, to clean the track, before I can run my electric loco's?

Is that a reality - or am I being too pesimistic. I have two loops of track, so worst case scenario could be one loop for live steam, and one loop for electric.

Any comments would be useful.

 

[Gizzy]

I've been to a few open days where live steam and electrically powered locos have run together, and yes, the rails do get gunked up.

So most folks that I know who have both, tend to have separate tracks for each.

Another thing to consider that, if you live steamy loco does not have insulated wheels, it will short out your track if you apply the power.

I've seen this done at an open day too!

 

[dunnyrail]

I run both, but yes it is better to have Live Steam with Insulated Wheels. Personally I do not find too much trouble with Gunk on the Track. Oil tends to help pickup for the lecies, if it gets too bad I just clean the track with the trusty LGB Cleaner. Plus I tend to prefer large locs to the little 0-4-0's.
JonD

 

[Doug]

Mark, (mbiff) often runs both. Just needs to occasionally wipe round with a cloth to get the oil off. Most live steam engines deposit the gunk between the rails as the steam oil mostly drips off the chuff pipe.

 

[hornbeam]

They drop the most oil when priming when running from cold. so if you can add a siding that you can fire the engine up on, run it backwards and forwards over till its warmed up and running smoothly that will help.

 

[steveciambrone]

I run battery powered electrics on the same track as my live steamers, never clean the rails.

Steve

 

[minimans]

I run both on the same circuit and it's no bother as someone pointed out the electric locos run better with a bit of wet gunk on the rails, the problem is when the gunk dries out it tends to mess with them then, but I just run the track cleaner around a few times and it's gone.

Gratuitus live steamie shot.......................Sorry but it's new............

 

[themole]

I run this on butane or meths 1/10th scale Burrell Shoman's Special Scenic traction engine, it will pull me along on a trailer. Keep the railway electric ----run trams and trolleys here. Alyn